Laughing at religion
Instead of using a pointed stylus and a wax-coated wooden tablet to chronicle life in the Eternal City, Zadok the Roman uses a blog. It's entertaining and erudite and the proprietor makes sure that a little goes a long way. There's subtle humour in most posts and then there's the religious jokes via the Independent. Here's a brilliant one from the repertoire of Emo Philips:
"I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump. I ran over and said: 'Stop. Don't do it.'
'Why shouldn't I?' he asked.
'Well, there's so much to live for!'
'Like what?'
'Are you religious?'
He said: 'Yes.'
'Me too. Are you Christian or Buddhist?'
'Christian.'
'Me too. Are you Catholic or Protestant?'
'Protestant.'
'Me too. Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?'
'Baptist.'
'Wow. Me too. Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?'
'Baptist Church of God.'
'Me too. Are you original Baptist Church of God, or are you reformed Baptist Church of God?'
'Reformed Baptist Church of God.'
'Me too. Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?'
He said: 'Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915.'
I said: "Die, heretic scum," and pushed him off."
Laughed and laughed at that one, we did. One more, and it's from the remarkable Myron Cohen:
"A Jewish grandmother is watching her grandchild playing on the beach when a huge wave comes and takes him out to sea. She pleads: 'Please God, save my only grandson. I beg of you, bring him back.' And a big wave comes and washes the boy back on to the beach, good as new. She looks up to heaven and says: 'He had a hat.' "
Enough, enough. Anyway, sincere thanks to Zadok the Roman for the laughter. It's the best medicine.
